Chapter 94: Special Creature

The plain carriage convoy continued to advance deep into the dark forest, as if forgotten by the sun itself.  

The sound of wheels crushing the muddy earth intertwined with the clip-clop of hooves, making the silent night seem even more peaceful.  

But compared to before, their pace was noticeably faster now, as if they were worried about something.  

Iana had an inexplicable sense of foreboding.

She felt the journey had been far too quiet—except for the Wolf Demonkin they encountered earlier, they had seen no other creatures.

It felt like the calm before a storm.  

“This forest is unnervingly silent.” Iana’s expression darkened, and she felt extremely pessimistic about the path ahead.  

After traveling for a while longer, several roars echoed from a distance.

The roars were from different creatures—wolf howls, bird cries, tiger growls, and more.

Like human musicians, they wove together a symphony in the stillness of the night.  

The carriage came to an urgent stop.

Iana, whose attention was fully focused on these sounds, was caught off guard.

Holding her injured nose, she complained, “You didn’t say we were stopping, seriously.”  

“Everyone, be alert! Stay fully focused! Those creatures are coming for us!” the Captain shouted loudly, his powerful voice ringing in everyone’s ears.  

His face no longer held the calm composure he had when facing the wolf pack earlier.

Instead, it was clouded with worry, his brow furrowed and his expression grim, as if they were in serious trouble.  

“We might have been targeted by one of those creatures.”  

The Captain’s seasoned experience told him the situation was off.

Normally, such creatures wouldn’t gather and call out like this.

Only a special creature capable of controlling the minds of others could orchestrate such behavior.  

These creatures could parasitize any living being, including humans.

They could manipulate their host’s emotions and desires, eventually turning them into puppets.  

Before finding a strong host, they usually only left traces of their presence on animals, making them unusually violent.

Animals affected by the same presence would form alliances, avoiding conflict with each other.  

The only way to prevent parasitism or contamination was to cover the body entirely, blocking contact with such creatures.  

All the knights present wore full, airtight armor for this reason—fear of encountering such a creature.

And now, that fear was realized.  

As for Elia not wearing armor, it was simple—such creatures could not yet parasitize a Saintess whose Bloodline Power had awakened.

The Saintess bloodline was like a natural enemy to them, making parasitism impossible.  

The knights stared intently in all directions, standing firm in front of the horses.

They could not and would not run, no matter how difficult the battle ahead.  

Inside the carriage was grain bound for the Holy City.

Without this food, the city’s people would starve.

The Holy City was currently under attack by beasts infected with this creature’s presence.  

If they fled now, they would be branded criminals of the Holy City for eternity.  

Animals tainted with that creature’s aura gathered from all directions.

Each beast radiated an eerie unease—crimson eyes, snarling mouths, and saliva-dripping fangs that glistened sinisterly under the moonlight.  

The Captain gripped his longsword tightly and drew a deep breath.

They all knew this fight wouldn’t be as easy as the last.

The sheer number of beasts was overwhelming.  

Moreover, they were under the unified control of the special creature, making them coordinated.

They surged like a tide from the dark corners of the forest.  

“Form ranks! Protect the carriage.” The Captain’s face was stern, muscles tense, eyes fixed on the sudden appearance of the ferocious beasts.  

But the beasts didn’t attack immediately.

Instead, they closed in slowly, seemingly waiting for a command.  

“Ugh ugh ugh.”  

A strange sound echoed from deep within the forest.

Upon hearing it, all the beasts abandoned their slow approach and suddenly lunged toward the nearest knights.  

“Engage the enemy!” the Captain’s sharp voice rang out.  

The clashing of metal and teeth and the roars of the beasts blended into a horrifying symphony.  

The battle was brutally fierce.

Blood and flesh flew through the air.

The knights’ armor was riddled with dents and claw marks, but their formation held steady, guarding the carriage without yielding an inch.  

Iana pulled aside the curtain and looked out.

The scene outside could only be described as harrowing.  

Just as the battle reached a fever pitch, an unknown creature suddenly floated through the air.

Iana couldn’t make out its form clearly.

It sometimes appeared as a sphere, other times as a beast.

At different moments, it looked different.  

“That creature is here. Don’t look at it,” the Captain shouted angrily.  

‘You should have said so earlier.’ Iana silently cursed in her mind, feeling her consciousness growing increasingly dim.  

When she opened her eyes again, she was no longer in the forest.

Instead, she found herself inside a vast castle brimming with boundless magical power.  

“Where is this place?” Iana stood dumbfounded, confused by the sight before her.  

“Princess, we have to flee! They’re right behind us.” A clear, pleasant voice came from nearby.  

Iana turned toward the sound, blinking in disbelief.

The speaker looked remarkably like Sephiroth, only older.

Behind her spread a pair of Dragon Clan wings, and horns adorned her head.  

“Who are you? Why am I here? Who’s chasing us, and why must we run?”  

The dragon woman looked at Iana with confusion but urgency.

“Princess, this is no time for jokes. Our mission is to leave here as quickly as possible.”  

Without waiting for a response, she grabbed Iana’s hand and dragged her forcefully in a certain direction, flying swiftly.  

“I see them! Over there! The Dragon Pillar must be on those two. Quickly, capture them!”  

Behind them came sounds cutting through the air, confirming that the dragon with Iana was telling the truth.